Florida man pleads guilty in Memphis teacher-test scandal

A Florida man pleaded guilty to document fraud charges Thursday morning in connection with his role as a middleman in a long-running scheme in which teachers paid others to take their qualifying tests.

Dante Dowers, 40, of Belle Glade admitted obtaining a prospective teacher's drivers license, Social Security number and payments to have someone else take a test.

He will be sentenced in April by U.S. Dist. Judge John Fowlkes Jr.

Authorities say former Memphis City Schools guidance counselor Clarence Mumford was the ringleader of the scheme that began more than 15 years ago and involved more than 50 teachers and stand-in test takers.

Mumford, 59, will be in court later this month.

Of the 18 indicted in the case, six now have pleaded guilty. None has been sentenced yet.